Cleaning machine



March 17, 1931. H, D, DAY 1,796,704

CLEANING MCHINE Filed March V19. 1929 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEY S.

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD D. DAY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T ROTERKLEEN MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND CLEANING MACHINE Application filed March 19, `1999. p Serial No. 348,202.

the like, and is of the general type shown in `my copending application, Serial No. 272-3,-

pw 895, filed April 30, 1928.

In playing games with balls, especially games in which balls having a rougli surface are used, suchas golf, the balls often become soiled and should be frequently cleaned in order to be more sightly and more conspicnous.

, One object of myinvention is to provide an improved machine for cleaning golf balls and the like by subjecting the balls to scrubhing means in the `presence ofa cleaning fluid.

Another object is to provide mechanism for rapidly vibrating ballsto be cleaned between ring shaped brushes disposed at right angles to each other.

'A third object is to direct cleaning fluid towards the balls to be cleaned so as to assist the rapid vibration and rotation of the balls. y

An additional object pertains to an improved mounting for the casing containing the motor mechanism.

` With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel 'features of construction, as will be` more fully dey scribed in the specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying di'aWings,-Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the improved ball washing machine;

Figure 2 is `an enlarged vertical section of the upper portion of the machine; Figure 3 is an enlarged section through. the rotor on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section of the ball carrying disk, `showing the cleaningr fluid passages; and y Figure is a plan view of the ball carrying disk, with the ball-vibrating strips thereon.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a hollow standard 11, having a flanged base 12 for supporting the machine over an opening 13 in a suitable foundation 14. On the upper end of the standard 11 is a bowl-shaped casing 15 having a flange or shoulder 16 resting on the standard 11 and a tubular extension 17 which fits snugly around the said upper end of the standard 11; the flange 16 circumscribes an opening 18 for exit of waste cleaning fluid, as hereinafter described.

An upper cap-like housing 19 rests on the casing 15, and is detachably secured thereto as hereinafter described. Within the housingf19, as clearly shown in Figure 2, is a cylindrical brush member 20, suitably scoured therein, and an annular brush member 21, suitably secured to the top of housing 19 in right-angle juxtaposition to the cylindrical brush member 20. The housing 19 has an opening 22 for the insertion and removal of the balls from the machine, and has a trough 22a, equipped with drain passages, not shown, for holding the washed balls.

Vertically disposed within the standard 11 is a fluid supply conduit 2B; a collar 241, secured to the pipe 23 by a Setscrew or the like, supports a centering spider 25 which engages the sides of the standard 11. The upper end of supply conduit 23 is screwthreaded to receive a correspondingly threaded flanged coupling 2G. Upstanding flanges or shoulders 2l' receive a tubular member 28, offset at 29, and centered by a spider 30. The spider 2l() has arms 31 which pass through slots 32 Ain a depending flange of the housing 1S) and terminate in fingers 33, which seat in bayonet lock slots ofusual type formed in the upper portion of casing 15 to lock therein; a thickened portion 34, on each arm 31, receives a screw 35 which passes through a bore 36 in the housing 1l), thus detachably locking the housing 19, the spider 30, and the casing 15 together.

Screwthre'adedly secured to the inner por tion of coupling 26 is a tubular bearing 37 having side openings 8S and a closure section 39 at the lower portion thereof. The upper portion of thebearing 37 is formed as a disk 40 which rests on the offset 29 of the tubular member 28, and which has guide passages 41 for directing the cleaning fluid upwardly, as hereinafter described. Rotatably mounted on the disk 40 is a fluid motor havmovement :ofthe `valvestein Gil.

ing a rotor 42, shown in section in Figure 3, having vanes 43, and keyed, or otherwise secured to a vertical shaft 44 rotatably supported Within the bearing 37 above the closure .section ,39. ulhe upper `end of shaft 44 projects above the rotor 42, Vand is V'screw threaded to receive the threaded bore --45 of y(lished turntable 46, za-.spacing collar 1,47

j iostioning the upper edge of the turntal'ile in proper relation to the lower edge of the brush member 20. A cap 48 closes .thenpper end of the threaded bore 45. Y

Y The turntable 46 mavbegmadeyinonepiece, if desired, but preferably includes a base '49 ihavingan anniilai'-recess :50.in Wliiclraiing '5l havinga shoulder 5,2 :is seated. @nithe Vring 151 Vare secured, in any A 'desired unanner,

a plurality of strips of rubber for Lthe like for vibratinglor j o'lting theigolff lballs duringthecleaning operation. A plate 54, :hav-

ing a bore therethrough,"through iwhich the cap -48 passes, `,sea-ts .in theishoulder 52, .the insertion off cap- 48 thus liocling the .p arts of the lturntable 46 together 'The "base 49 has la flange 55a Afor kguiding cleaning 'ffluid linto 'a .plurality of passages '56 extending 1upwardly andmoutivardly through. the base :46 and plate v54. l

Considering Figure lathe.fiu-idzsnpply conduit 23conimuni-cates Awith a fluid pipiew? vthrough a coupling "58. kf:Ihepipe '57 iis suit lably.supported by flanges 59, and includes a control .valve 60,"which ris .opened 5to `permit p assageof the cleaning fluid fon downward A push member (S2-mounted in a bearingi68,may.be pushed downwardly by pressingon antreaclle member`64, positioned in an-.opening of a lfoot plate1665 lthe utreadle :member is ,pivotal lly -inounted on the footgplatezati, and has a center Ybalancing Weight 68 whi ch .normally -lifits the treadlesmember when pressure is not applied, until a shoulder 169 `thereof .contacts with Itheedgeof the foot plate ,member 66.

When usinginy .improved device, the balls tol tbe .cleaned lare inserted sthil'ough :the opening onto the turntable ,46, and theifoot treadle G4 lis depressed, the c'leaningfluid A`then passing Aupwardly through supply conduit 23, Vopenin os 38,-tu`bular `member 28, and

guide passages V4l lto impact against the .ro-

tor vane '43 vand `thusr rotate theturntable 46. The ino *i of the turntable forces ithe balls outwardly againstthe stationaryvbristles of rbrush vmembers v2O and 21, thus retarding the balls slightly, so -that the turntable rotates .at ay-gre'ater peripheral'speed. Thestrips 53 therefore impact'the balls, Land produce a vi'brating motion which Vincreases the conytact of thefballs with the stationaryfbristles of brush member 2l; the surface-ofthe fbalfls is thus constantly vmoved and continuously ybrorrfht into engagement .with the Ybrush bristles.

During this engagement, the brushes and the balls are supplied with a continuous streani of cleaning fluid emerging from the oblique passages 5G, the used fluid then passing over the edge of the turntable into the casing wvl5 vand to Waste -thr0ugh-the -holloW standard llfl. e

At-the completion of the cleaning operationthe -footcis kremoved from the treadle 64, ,thu'slstopping Lthe machine, and "the clean vballs roll into the center ofthe-turntable for ,removal and for deposit 'in Avthe'groove 22a for drainageof surplus fluid and for drying. Theforegoing description is directed t0- Wards the construction illustrated, but I desire it f to be understood .that I reserve the `privilege of Vresorting y,to all ,the mechanical changes to'whichthe device issusceptihlathe invention being definedand -limited ,onljyby the terms of the appendedclain'is. Y u

Having thus described my invention, I claim: l

1. In a cleaningmachine, a housingc`lean ing lbrushes mounted in saidhousing, a rotatable -carrier in said housing, positioned to.. bring an article thereon in operative relation towards said cleaning brushes, whereby `the Cil fluid forces a ball to ,becleaned towards said brusheseadjaeent the `periphery `thereof,and

means forguiding fluid ,from saidconduit to said passages.

f3. "Infa cleaning machine, a housing, clean-Y ing brushes mounted in .said housing, a rot-at- `able .carrier ,in said housing positioned to bringfan article thereon in operative relation to said cleaning brushjealfluid passages in said carrier communicating .Withthe vsurface thereof, .and l.directed towards .said ,Cleaning brushes, Wherebythefluid foreesa b cleaned towards said brushes, a fl operativelyconncctedfto said :carrieiyfa 'fluid supply .conduit, means for guiding fluid from said conduit to said motor, and means for directingfa portion of the fluid'leavingisaid Inotcr to said passages 4. In a cleaning machine, a housing, y Clean- -ing'brushes-inounted in said housingarotat :able ycarrier in .said housing' positioned to bring an 'article ,thereon :inoperative relation ftogsa-.idcleaningbrushes,uidpassagesfinsaid @carrier communicating with the surface thereof, a fluid motor operatively connected to said carrier, a fluid supply conduit, means for guiding fluid from said conduit to said motor, and a fluid receiving recess in said carrier communicating with said fluid assages and positioned to receive Waste uid from said motor.

5. In a cleaning machine, a housing, cleaning brushes mounted in said housing, a rotatable carrier in said housing positioned to bring an article thereon in operative relation to said cleaning brushes, fluid passages in said carrier communicating with the surface thereof, a fluid motor operatively connected to said carrier, a fluid supply conduit, means for guiding fluid from said conduit to said motor, and an annular fluid receiving recess in said carrier communicating with saidfluid passages and positioned to receive Waste fluid from said motor.

6. In a cleaning machine, a housing, cleaning brushes mounted in said housing, a fluid supply conduit, tubular bearingmeans mounted on said conduit, a motor mounted in said bearing means, a shaft keyed to said motor, and a rotatable carrier secured to said shaft and positioned to bring an article thereon into operative relation to said cleaning brushes.

7. In a cleaning machine, a housing, cleaning brushes mounted in said housing, a rotatable carrier positioned to bring an article thereon in operative relation to said cleaning brushes, a fluid supply conduit, a fluid motor operatively connected to said carrier, said motor comprising a rotor and vanes thereon, a tubular element mounted on said conduit, bearing means for said motor n said tubular element, and guide passages in said tubular element for directing fluid from said conduit to said vanes.

8. In a cleaning machine, a housing, cleaning brushes mounted therein, a rotatable article carrier in said housing in operative relation to said cleaning brushes, a fluid motor operatively connected to said carrier, a fluid supply conduit, means for conducting fluid from said conduit to said motor, means for conducting discharged fluid from said motor to the Working face of the carrier, to act as cleaning fluid upon articles thereon, said cleaning fluid subsequently discharging lfrom the carrier periphery.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HOWARD D. DAY. 

